Enclosure products are mostly used to protect electrical, electronic, or other types of components operating in various environments, but they also do a great job concealing them and keeping things neat and organized.
There is a huge variety of enclosure products for both industrial and domestic use. They come in different sizes, designs and materials. The most commonly used materials are plastic or metal and each of them have their own benefits.
Metal enclosures are a more durable choice and they are typically more resistant to the elements. One of their most notable weaknesses is rust, however, there are a lot of metal enclosures that are coated with aluminum so you wont have to deal with that. Another plus of metal enclosures is that they block a lot of types of interference such as static making them highly effective for radio equipment. The main drawback of this type of enclosures is that they are way more expensive than the plastic ones. Although they are far more durable and will probably last quite longer, if you are on a budget it is best to go for the plastic option.
Despite being a very versatile and cost effective solution, industrial plastic enclosures have a lot of other advantages, mainly the protection they offer. They are also much easier to install and handle than the metal ones, due to their light weight. Plastic also provides protection from damaging UV radiation, which is especially important in areas with high temperature. There are even some industrial plastic enclosures made from flame retardant materials that can withstand extreme temperatures. Plastic is also waterproof making it the superior option for wet environments such as the vicinity of ponds, humid environments and so on. It also has excellent insulating properties offering not only good elemental protection, but also keeping the components at a constant temperature. Depending on the type of plastic used, these enclosures can also be resistant to chemicals and impact making them suitable for various industries such as medical, military, aerospace, telecommunications, and so on. Faster production time is another great feature of industrial plastic enclosures. Unlike metal enclosures, the plastic ones can go through rapid and affordable changes during the design stage.
Overall you need to carefully asses your needs before your choose the best materials for your project requirements. This way you can be sure that your device will work properly under the given conditions. Although many people still think that metal is the premium choice, there are great technological advances being made in the manufacturing of industrial plastic enclosures making them more durable and resistant than ever before.
